Adjustable chalkboard assembly



' A. o. ALBRIGHT ADJUSTABLE CHALKBOARD ASSEMBLY Dec. 29, 1 970 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 6, 1967 ALTO O. ALBRIGHT INVENTOR.

FIG

ATTORNE YS Filed Aug. 6, 1967 Dec. 7 A. o. ALBRIGHT 3,550,291

ADJUSTABLE CHALKBOARD ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ALTO o. ALBRIGHT INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The adjustable chalkboard assembly is mounted in a chalkboard retaining adjustor which is adapted to be removably mounted in spaced mounting strips and locked therein by a gravity lock. The adjustor facilitates angular and sliding adjustment of the chalkboard and incorporates a unitary spring locking unit which forms an automatic position lock and a lock catch. The lock catch operates to positively lock the chalkboard within the adjustor.

This invention relates to chalkboards generally, and more particularly to a novel and improved adjustable chalkboard assembly.

Wall mounted chalkboards commonly employed for classroom use are generally fixed to a wall surface and may not be readily adjusted relative to this supporting surface. The versatility of the chalkboard for instructional purposes is severely limited by this fixed mounting, and the inconvenience experienced during use of such boards often detracts from the effectiveness of the educational presentation.

In an attempt to overcome the disadvantages presented by fixed chalkboard installations, adjustable chalkboards have been developed, but often the advantages provided by these adjustable boards are limited. Many adjustable boards include complex adjusting mechanisms which require special knowledge or tools in order to accomplish adjustment, and often, only a single adjustment is provided.

Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved adjustable chalkboard assembly which may be readily adjusted vertically and angularly to a number of positions relative to a support structure.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved adjustable chalkboard assembly which may be easily adjusted without the need for special tools or skill.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved adjustable chalkboard assembly which includes a simple effective lock catch construction which operates automatically to maintain the chalkboard in an adjusted position.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved adjustable chalkboard assembly which includes a chalkboard retaining adjustor adapted for removal from wall attached support rails.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following specification and appended claims and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a section of the adjustable chalkboard assembly;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal section of a portion of the chalkboard and chalkboard retaining adjustor taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the chalkboard retaining adjustor containing the adjustor lock;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section taken along lines 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a cutaway section of the chalkboard retaining adjustor illustrating the position and lock catch;

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FIG. 6 is a cutaway section of the chalkboard retaining adjustor illustrating a side elevation of the position and lock catch;

FIG. 7 is a perspective partially cutaway section illustrating the spreader bar construction; and

FIG. 8 is a view of a portion of the vertical chalkboard trim strip illustrating the lock receiving slot structure.

Referring now to the drawings, the adjustable chalkboard assembly indicated generally at 1 include spaced mounting strips 2 and 3 which are afflxed to a wall or other support surface by fasteners 4. These mounting strips are formed with a body or web portion 5 which connects two spaced, substantially parallel flanges 6 and 7 respectively. The flanges are provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced holes 8 and 9 respectively which are vertically aligned.

A chalkboard 10 is mounted for both sliding and angular adjustment between the mounting strips 2 and 3 by adjustors 11 (one of which is shown in FIG. 1) positioned on opposite sides of the chalkboard. The chalkboard is provided with a frame 12 having opposed mounting sections 13 extending along opposed sides thereof which cooperate with the adjustors 11.

With reference to FIG. 2, it will be noted that each mounting section 13 is formed by a forward flange 14 and a rear flange 15 which are spaced by an intervening web 16. The chalkboard 10 is received between the flanges 14 and 15 adjacent the inner side of the web 16, while the outermost edges of the flanges project inwardly to form opposed shoulders 17 and 18 spaced from the web.

The rear flange 15 of each mounting section 13 is provided with a plurality of spaced apertures or positioning slots 19, and spaced above these positioning slots is a single locking slot 20 (FIG. 8). The positioning slots and locking slot cooperate with a locking mechanism to be subsequently described which is secured to the respective adjustors 11.

Each adjustor 11 includes an elongated channel shaped support 21 adapted to extend between the mounting strips 2 and 3. Spaced projections 22 and 23 are provided at either end of the channel shaped support to mount the support in the aligned holes 8 and 9. The supports are formed so that a support may be lifted to remove the projections 22 from the holes 8 and 9 in the mounting strip 3 to permit subsequent disengagement of the projections 23 from the mounting strip 2. However, to prevent accidental disengagement of the support from the mounting strips, the rear surface of the support is provided with a simple gravity lock 24 (FIGS. 3 and 4). This gravity lock is formed by a locking bar 25 which is pivotally secured to the back of the support 21 by a pivot pin 26. The pivot pin is eccentrically positioned above the center of the locking bar, so that when the support 21 is mounted in the mounting strips 2 and 3, the locking bar will fall by gravity into locking position against the mounting strip 2. The locking bar must then be manually moved to the dotted line position in FIG. 3 before the support can be lifted to disengage the projections 22 from the holes 8 and 9 in the mounting strip 3.

The adjustors 11 also include a chalkboard support 27 which is pivotally connected at 28 to the channel shaped support 21 adjacent the projections 23. Each chalkboard support includes a side wall 29 which extends forwardly from the outermost side of a elongated channel shaped base 30; each such sidewall being provided with a longitudinally extending, T-shaped guide track 31 projecting inwardly adjacent the free end thereof. This T-shaped guide track is adapted to project into the space between the shoulders 17 and 18 and the web 16 of a mounting section 13 (FIG. 2) and thereby mount the chalkboard 10 for sliding adjustment relative to the adjustors 11.

The T-shaped guide track 31 is positioned on the side wall 29 so that when a mounting section 13 is engaged therewith, a locking chamber 32 is left between the flange 15 of the mounting section and a forward Wall 33 of the base 30. This locking chamber contains a unitary spring locking unit 34- which is mounted upon the forward wall of the base and is biased outwardly therefrom.

The spring locking unit 34 constitutes a single piece of spring metal, such as tempered flexible steel, the free end of which is divided into a separate lock catch 35 and position catch 36 by a longitudinal slot 37. The position catch is formed to extend into the positioning slots 19 in the rear flange 15 when the mounting section 13 is engaged with the adjustor 11, while the lock catch rides on the surface 38 of the rear flange adjacent the positioning slots. However, both the position catch and lock catch are adapted to extend into the locking slot 20.

The position catch 36 is formed with an integral operating tab 39 which extends through a tab slot 40 in the side wall 29. This operating tab may be manually operated to move the position catch toward the forward wall 33 of the base 30 and thus out of engagement with the positioning slots 19. It will be noted that both the position and locking catches are substantially parallel to the surface of the rear flange 15 but extend from an inclined portion 41 of the spring locking unit which angles away from the catches toward the forward wall 33. This enables the catches to slide over the slots 19 and 20 without engagement when mounting sections 13 are moved upwardly relative to the adjustors 11 in FIG. 1.

The channel shaped base 30 of the chalkboard support 27 is formed by sidewalls 42 and 43 extending rearwardly from the forward wall 33. The free ends of these side walls extend inwardly to form shoulders 44 and 45 which define the outer extremity of a longitudinal guide channel 46. The inner extremity of the guide channel is defined by longitudinal projections 47 and 48 which extend inwardly from the side walls 42 and 43 in spaced relationship with the shoulders 44 and 45.

Angular adjustment of the chalkboard is accomplished by a spreader bar 49 which is secured to the support 21 by a hinge 50. The hinge permits the spreader bar to be folded upwardly into position against the sup port 21, but the spreader bar is prevented from dropping below a position substantially perpendicular to the support by the inner end thereof which is formed to provide a lateral extension 51. This extension abuts the support in the lowermost position of the spreader bar.

The free end of the spreader bar is formed to provide a T-shaped guide 52 which rides in the longitudinal guide channel 46, thereby permitting the chalkboard 10 and chalkboard supports 27 to be pivoted outwardly away from the supports 21.

It is obvious that the chalkboard frame 12 may be formed to provide numerous accessories, such as chalk tray 53 extending transversely across the bottom of the chalkboard 10.

In the operation of the adjustable chalkboard assembly 1, the adjustors 11 bearing the chalkboard 10 through the connection with the mounting section 13 of the frame 12 are mounted on the mounting strips 2 and 3 by inserting the projections 22 and 23 into the aligned holes 8 and 9. The gravity locks 24 on the adjustor supports 21 will now automatically move into locking position against the mounting strip 2 (FIG. 4).

With the adjustors 11 in place on the mounting strips 2 and 3, the chalkboard 10 may be adjusted upwardly merely by lifting against the chalk tray 53. This causes the shoulders 17 and 18 of the mounting sections 13 to slide along the T-shaped guide tracks 31. The spring looking units 34 do not impair this upward movement, for the inclined portions 41 thereof causes the respective position catches 36 to be @amrned out of the positioning slots 19 as they pass,

When the desired chalkboard position is reached, the position catches 36 extend into the adjacent positioning slots 19 with the ends thereof engaging the upper edge of the positioning slots to prevent downward movement of the mounting sections 13.

To adjust the chalkboard downwardly, the operating tabs 39 are manually operated to move the position catches 36 out of engagment with the positioning slots 19. The chalkboard may now move downwardly until the lock catches 35 engage the locking slots 20 on the mounting sections 13. It will be noted that the operating tabs affect only the position catches due to the separating slot 37, so that the lock catches will always engage the locking slots to positively lock the mounting sections to the adjustors 11. This prevents the chalkboard 10 from dropping free from the adjustors.

The chalkboard may be angularly adjusted in each vertical position thereof by pulling outwardly on the chalk tray 53. This causes the T-shaped guide 52 to slide down the channel 46 as the spreader bar 49 pivots about the hinge 50. If the chalk tray is subsequently pushed inwardly, the T-shaped guide moves upwardly in the channel 46 and the chalkboard supports 27 pivot against the supports 21.

To remove the adjustors 11 from the mounting strips 2 and 3, the gravity locking bars 25 are pivoted to the dotted line position in FIG. 3, and the supports 21 are lifted upwardly to disengage the projections 22 from the holes 8 and 9 in the mounting strip 3. It will be noted that the locking bars prevent the supports from being lifted when the chalkboard 10 is lifted for vertical adjustment.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present invention provides significant improvements in an adjustable chalkboard as sembly. Changes in details of construction will suggest themselves and maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention; wherefore it is my intention that no limitations be implied and that the hereto annexed claims be given a scope fully commensurate with the broadest interpretation to which the employed language admits.

Having thus described the invention, what is new and desired to be covered by Letters Patent is:

1. An adjustable chalkboard assembly comprising a chalkboard, said chalkboard including chalkboard mounting means extending along opposed peripheral sides thereof, and adjustor means being connected to said mounting means to permit sliding movement thereof between a plurality of spaced positions, said chalkboard mounting means includes a plurality of spaced, aligned position locking slots extending in line along the opposed edges of said chalkboard and a single lock slot positioned at one end of said line of position locking slots, said adjustor means operating to permit angular adjustment of said chalkboard in each of said spaced chalkboard positions and including locking means secured thereto for engagement with said position locking slots and single lock slot, said locking means being formed to engage said position locking slots and single lock slot to prevent further movement of said chalkboard relative to said adjustor means in one direction and to pass over said position locking slots without moving into locking engagement therewith when said chalkboard is moved in the opposite direction.

2. The adjustable chalkboard assembly of claim 1 wherein said adjustor means includes an adjuster positioned on either side of said chalkboard, each such adjustor including an elongated mounting leg and a chalkboard support leg connected to said chalkboard mounting means and pivoted at one end to said mounting leg, said chalkboard support leg having a base section with a longitudinally extending channel facing said mounting leg formed therein, and an elongated spreader having one end pivotally secured t9 said mounting leg, the opposite end of said spreader being slideably retained in said longitudinally extending channel.

3. The adjustable chalkboard assembly of claim 2 wherein said locking means includes a unitary strip of spring metal secured at one end to the base section of said chalkboard support leg, the free end of said metal strip being biased outwardly from said base section and bifurcated to provide a position catch for engagement with said position locking slots and a lock catch for engagement with said single lock slot, said position catch including catch operating means connected to disengage said position catch from said position locking slots.

4. The adjustable chalkboard assembly of claim 3 wherein said chalkboard mounting means include chalkboard frame sections secured to opposed edges of said chalkboard, each such frame section including spaced front and rear flanges engaging front and rear surfaces of said chalkboard, a web engaging the edge of said chalkboard extending between said front and rear flanges intermediate the free ends thereof, the free ends of said flanges being formed to provide a slide track extending along the edge of said chalkboard, and each said adjustor including a sidewall extending from the base section of said chalkboard support leg, said sidewall having slide means secured thereto and projecting into said slide track to slideably connect said chalkboard frame section to the adjustor and maintain the rear flange thereof in spaced relationship with said base section.

5. The adjustable chalkboard assembly of claim 4 wherein said position locking slots and single lock slot are formed in the rear flange of each chalkboard frame section, said adjustor sidewall including an aperture for said catch operating means to permit extension thereof outwardly of said sidewall.

6. The adjustable chalkboard assembly of claim 5 which includes a plurality of elongated mounting strips adapted for attachment in parallel, spaced relationship to a vertical support surface, each of said mounting strips including a plurality of longitudinally spaced mounting holes for holding demountable units between adjacent mounting strips, and each said adjustor mounting leg having projections extending from each end thereof for insertion into mounting holes in adjacent mounting strips.

7. The adjustable chalkboard assembly of claim 6 wherein adjustor locking means is secured to the mounting leg of each said adjustor for engagement with one of said mounting strips, said adjustor mounting means comprising a locking bar pivotally connected adjacent one end of said mounting leg, the pivotal connection for said locking bar being eccentrically offset from the center thereof to permit gravity operation of said adjuster locking means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 549,846 11/1895 Doll 35-63X 736,431 8/1903 Optiz 35--63 2,161,587 6/1939 Pettis 35-63 2,825,152 3/1958 Baylon 3563 2,987,832 6/1961 Urbain et a1 35--63 HARLAND S. SKOGQUIST, Primary Examiner 

